Re: [asa] Isolated humans

On Fri, 2 Nov 2007, Merv wrote:

> You're right about the missions dilemma. Interestingly enough many
> Calvinists have always been strong on missions which always seemed ironic to
> me, since they of all people could have the motivation to sit back and say
> it's already all been pre-ordained by God and we can't save anybody. But
> they don't try to look at that side of it. They just see the command "Go and
> make disciples ..." and consider that to be their marching orders. The
> results are in God's hands. Even though I'm not a Calvinist, I think that's
> a spiritually well-grounded and Biblical approach to all this. I also like
> C.S. Lewis' approach with the Calorman who, to his own surprise, wound up in
> Aslan's paradise despite his life spent in apparent worship of a different
> god. "No good deed done for Tash is done for Tash but is done unto me, and
> no vile deed done in my name is done for me but is done for Tash" --or so I
> think the words went. (I know works don't save... but they are the evidence
> of salvation.)

This paragraph touches on a popular caricature of Calvinism. I think that
the normal Calvinist response would be that the ends are not independent
of the means. Both are predestined. The evangelist feels that he has been
chosen by the Lord to be the instrument He uses to bring the elect to
Christ. A scriptural example of this attitude can be found in Acts
18:9,10. For an extensive discussion see J. I. Packer's "Evangelism and
the Sovereignty of God" (InterVarsity Press).

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Fri Nov 2 21:36:45 2007